Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Coming off its season-opening sweep against UNC Asheville, the Virginia Tech baseball team (3-0) will chase its first midweek win of the spring on Tuesday, Feb. 22, when Tech hosts ETSU (3-0) at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. Tuesday's game between the Hokies and the Buccaneers will air live on ACC Network Extra with coverage beginning at 4 p.m.
| MIDWEEK SCHEDULE | |||||
| Day | Date | Time | Opponent | Network | Radio |
| Tue. | Feb. 22 | 4 p.m. | ETSU | ACCNX | WRAD-FM 101.7 |
PROBABLE STARTERS
• Tuesday: Ryan Kennedy (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Landon Smiddy (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
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THREE THINGS TO KNOW
• Opening Weekend: Virginia Tech started its 2022 campaign by making relatively easy work of UNC Asheville, picking up three early wins by the combined, 35-8 margin. Offensively, the Hokies batted .393 as a team and slugged .692, cranking out nine doubles, a triple and seven home runs while amassing the 42-16 advantage in total hits. Third-year catcher Cade Hunter stole the Opening Day spotlight, turning in a 4-for-4 effort that featured two doubles and two swings of the Hokies' iconic home run hammer. True freshman infielder Carson DeMartini homered during each of his first two Tech appearances while Nick Biddison, Tanner Schobel and Eduardo Malinowski also left the park during the first weekend of play. On the mound, the Hokies' trio of starting pitchers – Griffin Green, Ryan Okuda and Drue Hackenberg – united to yield 17 strikeouts across 15 shutout innings.
• Midweek Opposition: East Tennessee State pulls into Blacksburg with a 3-0 record after dropping 12-plus runs on Northern Kentucky three times last weekend. Ashton King batted .583 (7-for-12) and crossed the plate six times to lead the Bucs, who collectively hit .355 and flexed a .482 on-base percentage. Similar to the Hokies, ETSU received efficient production from its pitching staff that issued 41 strikeouts against six walks and two hit batsmen. Under John Szefc, Tech is 5-0 against ETSU, pulling two April victories during the 2021 season – once in Johnson City (15-5) and once in Blacksburg (12-0). The Hokies' April 6 win was highlighted by Gavin Cross hitting for the cycle, part of his 4-for-6, seven-RBI day against his father's alma mater.
• One Tough Out: Despite pinging only two hits during the opening weekend, redshirt-freshman Sam Tackett sported the second highest on-base percentage among qualifying NCAA Division I players (.889). After swinging two hits off the bench on Opening Day, Tackett managed to draw five walks and was hit by a pitch during the series' final two games, reaching base safely during eight of his nine weekend plate appearances. As a unit, Tech's .485 on-base percentage ranked one position higher nationally (14th) on Monday than that of ETSU (.482, 15th).
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will continue its 12-game, season-opening home stand on Friday, Feb. 25, when the Hokies host Fordham during the first game of a three-game weekend series at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.